Too Late To Love You
by sasusaku-EienAi
Summary: Sakura is sent on a solo mission into the rain country where she has an encounter with the Akatsuki and someone she hoped to never meet again, but she does and with dire consequences. One-shot. warning character death


**Hi guys Haruai here, I hope you guys like this story as much as If Not For You and this would be the first story of our two that I have written on my own lol...at least most of it, big sis...I have to get a name for her lol anyway she helped with the last part so kill her lol anyway I hope you enjoy it**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Sasuke or Sakura if I did...well I would have had them together a loooong time ago.**

**Too Late To Love You**

Sakura had been sent on a mission to the hidden rain to infiltrate a prestigious clan and assassinate the head of the clan. It was supposed to be an easy mission, slip in get the job done and slip out easy enough or so she thought.

The Higurashi clan was a very powerful clan that ran the slave trade in many countries and they even dealt in the sex trade. The head Oboro became so obsessed in that particular part of the business that he would get his hench men to take girls from the road whether they were accompanied by a guard or not, and bring them to his hideout to _partake _in the catch before he sent them off to the clients and such.

He was never caught...that is until he took an important girl from the land of waves and they in turn reached out for Konoha to help them retrieve the girl and shut Oboro Higurashi down for good.

Sakura had made it to the small village of Sumpu where Oboro was rumoured to be staying and where the girl was. It was a solo mission for her but she thought she could handle it on her own considering she was the best medic nin in the ninja world having surpassed Tsunade in both medical ninjutsu and strength at the age of seventeen and she was an ANBU captain along with being known as the second generation slug sannin.

There had been rumours of the Akatsuki being in the area but Sakura thought she would be safe...how wrong she was.

A scream was heard before a loud explosion was heard and the ground shook around her, Sakura looked to where the explosion was to see a large black cloud rising into the air. The medic in her kicked in and she headed for that area to see if anyone needed her help, as she got closer she unsheathed the sword that Tenten had gotten her for her 18th birthday and cautiously made her way closer.

There were people crying and moans of pain when she reached the area, there were people everywhere either holding a damaged body part or where a body part had been or were holding a loved one and grieving the loss. "My god...what happened?" Sakura couldn't believe what she was seeing, there was at least two dozen people injured dead or dying "PLEASE HELP US!" a woman screamed as she tried to hold her lifeless child with one arm because the other had been blown apart.

The scream knocked Sakura from her shock and she jumped into action knowing full well that not all of them would be saved, but at least a few would be. It was a hard decision but she had to do it to save as many as she could so she bypassed the heavily injured and went straight to the people she could help.

It felt like days that she has been there healing people when it had only been a few hours. From all the injuries that were sustained, she had used a large amount of her chakra but thankfully she had saved the ones that she could. Of the few that she couldn't save was a small girl that looked about the age of six and she had deep lacerations to her chest and stomach, the child didn't want to die and cried for Sakura to help her but her injuries were too great for her to save. She couldn't help but think about the last few minutes of the child's life.

**FLASHBACK**

"_M...mummy *cough* d..daddy" a small voice whispered but Sakura was able to hear it. She moved to where the voice came from to see a small girl with what was once blonde hair now stained red from the blood that covered almost every inch of her. Her eyes were the most purest innocent blue eyes Sakura had ever seen and her skin was so very pale from the blood loss._

_Sakura rushed to her, her heart breaking when she realised there was nothing she could do for the girl but that didn't stop her from trying. The girl started to cough as Sakura placed her hands on her chest to see what she could do._

"_W...where's m...my mummy?" the girl said looking up at Sakura with tears streaking down her face Sakura bit her lip as her eyes glossed over with unshed tears "I...I don't know sweetheart" her voice cracked as the girls eyes began to tear up even more. She had a punctured lung that was filling with blood from her internal bleeding which was causing her to drown in her own blood and the lacerations into her stomach penetrated vital organs, ultimately sealing her fate._

_She began coughing violently again as Sakura pumped chakra into her body to make it a little easier for her. The girl looked up to Sakura with pleading eyes "P...please I...I don't want...to die" she cried, as soon as the girl said that Sakura couldn't hold it back any more. She let the tears fall as she cradled the child in her arms "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry" she said over and over as the girl cried and begged to be saved._

_Her breathes became shallow "Please...t...tell my...m...mummy and daddy...I l..love them" she struggled to say with every breath before she began choking on the blood now coming out of her mouth._

"_I..I promise" Sakura sobbed as she held the child closer to her determined to not let such a beautiful innocent child leave this world alone. Sakura's quiet sobs became louder as the child finally took her last breath ending her short life_

**END FLASHBACK**

Sakura had sat there cradling the girl for a good ten minutes before she gently laid her on the ground, and she then found herself silently crying as she looked at the one person she desperately wanted to save but couldn't. after a while she had found that the girl's parents were both killed in the blast. '_At least she's with her family and not in pain_'

Sakura stood and wiped her face, next was to find out what the hell happened. She walked over to one of the least injured people and asked "Can you tell me what happened?" the man was silent for a moment but then his eyes widened and his hand flew up pointing shakily behind her. Sakura spun around as the other villagers began to scream and run or tried to get away as best they could from the four men that stood there smirking at Sakura.

They all had black cloaks with red clouds signifying that they were from the Akatsuki, "We...are what happened here" one of them said, he had dark brown short spiky hair and dark blue eyes with a scar running from the left side of his forehead to the right side of his chin, and running through his left eye. The other three had hats on so Sakura couldn't see what they looked like...yet but she would soon.

Sakura snarled "You caused this devastation...for what!" her temper was raging "I thought the Akatsuki had more class than to kill defenceless villagers" the man chuckled who was joined by the other's "Well that's where you have it wrong _little_ girl" Sakura scowled "We as in the Akatsuki do whatever we please and if that involves practising on these pathetic villagers then so be it" he chuckled.

Sakura pulled her sword from its sheath and rushed at him-yeah it was a bad idea considering she was low on chakra and there was four dangerous s-class criminals against her but the thought of the little girl and her parents being sacrificed for the sake of '_practise' _just made her blood boil to no end-"YOU BASTARD!" she yelled as she made to slice the man, but he disappeared before reappearing a little ways from her.

"Give it up" he chuckled "You are outnumbered and out classed not to mention you are running low on chakra" he moved away from another swipe of her sword "Just give up and we won't hurt you...much" Sakura glared at him "Like hell I will" and she lunged for him again. The man just shrugged "don't say I didn't warn you" and he charged for her.

He kicked her in the stomach and she went flying back into a building and in the process she lost a hold of her sword, she shakily got to her feet while holding her stomach and wiped the blood away from her mouth "you are going to die for those pathetic villagers...what a waste" he slowly walked walked towards her flanked by the other Akatsuki members.

Sakura growled "No you are going to die for killing innocent men women and children" her eyes flickered to the ground just in front of the men as they stepped closer before looking the man in the eye 'just a little more'

"Somehow I don't think so" he took another step closer which was his mistake because Sakura had dropped an exploding tag when she was hit and he just happened to step on it causing it to explode sending him and the others flying backwards.

"You were saying" she said as his body hit the ground missing a few limbs. While the others were down for the count Sakura used some chakra to heal her injuries from the impact of the wall, and made a move to get away from the village so she could really fight.

She could feel the three remaining Akatsuki members behind her as she raced as fast as she could away from the village and into a more suitable area for what she was known for. She came to a clearing just as they caught up to her, a whistling sound was heard as a kunai was sent hurdling towards her. She managed to block it with a kunai of her own.

"You just sealed your fate" came a very familiar voice as fish face aka Kisame stepped out of the forest. He was joined by a young boy no more than eighteen with white shoulder length hair and ice cold blue eyes. "Tobi's coming, Tobi is a good boy" came the voice of their weirdest member who was a little confused about his age...or he got hit on the head when he was a baby. The man with the orange mask over his face came stumbling out of the brush and ran into the boy "Oh Tobi is so sorry Daiki...please don't hit Tobi" he said putting his hands over his head as if he was going to get hit there.

"Tobi enough...go and find the others and tell them we have a little pink firecracker here" Kisame said rubbing his temple, Tobi nodded his head "Okay Tobi will bring them to Kisame" he said before bounding off and the last thing that was heard from him was "Tobi's a good boy!"

Sakura would have laughed if the situation had been different but right now she had two Akatsuki members in front of her and apparently more on the way...that is if Tobi didn't get them lost or something along the way.

"Okay where were we" Kisame said grabbing a hold of his Samehada with a smirk as he stepped forward. A hand was placed on his chest and he looked back to the young boy to whom it belonged to "Allow me Kisame-sensei" Daiki said as he stepped in front of his teacher.

Kisame shrugged and leant on his Samehada "Knock yourself out kid"

Daiki stepped towards Sakura at a steady pace as she watched every move he made waiting for him to attack "You will lose" he said in a calm bored tone that reminded her of her ex teacher and fellow team 7 member.

Sakura scoffed "What makes you think that I will lose and not you?" she asked as he circled around her, the boy stopped and smirked at her "Because you made a fatal mistake" came a voice from behind her. Sakura tried to get out of the way but the dagger that was heading for her chest still managed to get her in the side.

Sakura jumped out of the way taking the dagger that was in her with her, she landed on knee and instantly brought a green glowing hand to her side and as she pulled the dagger out healing chakra entered her body healing it as best she could before slowly standing with her hand holding her side.

The boy chuckled "You will be dead in less than a day regardless of whether you beat me or not"

It dawned on her "P...poison" she whispered he nodded his head, Sakura could feel the vial substance coursing through her body but it wouldn't stop her...yet.

Sakura pulled out a kunai and lunged for him "I won't lose!" she used both the dagger and the kunai to attack Daiki who had no choice but to use defensive moves for the time being, was being pushed back. Sakura made a move to stab him in the stomach but he caught her wrist "Wrong move" he whispered and in the next instant Sakura was being thrown through the air.

As she was about to collide with a tree she was able to right herself and landed on her feet with a grunt before falling to her knee on the branch. "I need to get rid of them before the others come" she mumbled to herself.

A plan was set in motion in her head and she concealed her chakra and jumped into the forest after creating a shadow clone thanks to Naruto's teaching. The clone drew Daiki to her while the real Sakura snuck around behind him and infused her fist with chakra. The instant the clone was destroyed Sakura attacked.

Daiki was just able to get away but the impact of her fist hitting the ground sent him flying into the air "Didn't see that coming did ya" she said as she did hand signs and slapped them down on the ground, a wall of dirt came up out of the ground and caught Daiki. He was trapped in the dirt wall with just his head poking out.

"That should hold you there for a while" she said then turned her attention to the smirking fish face "Now it's your turn"

Kisame laughed at her "No it's your turn to die...the other's are here...and you may remember one of them"

Sakura didn't understand what he meant, that is until she felt the chakra coming towards her. One she could tell belonged to the imbecile, there were two other's that she had only met once just after her last meeting with the last Uchiha and traitor to Konoha.

That day she would never forget because that was the day he had became a monster and killed his own team-mate in front of her because the red head had been hurt in the fight against Danzou, and of no more use to him. That day he opened her eyes to the real him and she made herself forget the love she held for him then and there.

"N..no" she whispered as the familiar chakra came closer, the fear of seeing him again welled up in her. As they got closer Tobi went into another direction and disappeared, _'What are they planning?' _Sakura attempted to make a run for it knowing full well that she wouldn't stand a chance against him. But Kisame blocked her path "Where do you think you're going _pinky_?"

She needed to get out of there, but how. Time was not on her side and with the big blue fish blocking her path she had no way of getting away in time.

'_This is it...I'm going to die'_

She made a last bid at freedom and charged her fist with chakra and ran at Kisame, her fist was about to collide with his jaw when another hand grabbed her fist and pulled her away from the smirking fish. Oh how she would love to wipe that smirk off his face.

She was pulled back into someone's chest and both of her hands were held by strong hands in front of her making it look almost like the person was hugging her from behind. Sakura closed her eyes and hoped and prayed that it wasn't who she knew it was.

"What are you doing" the voice was as deep and smooth as she remembered it as it vibrated through her body making her heart run a marathon. She took deep breathes to calm her galloping heart and ignored the comments Kisame was making.

She opened her eyes and moved her head slightly to the left to see her captor, her heart instantly started galloping again when her wide eyes settled on those deep endless black pools that she could drown in and the raven bangs that framed that perfect beautiful and pale face of Sasuke Uchiha.

It felt like she had been lost in his features for an eternity when Kisame spoke "She's too mesmerised by your face to answer" this broke Sakura from the spell and she began to struggle "Let...me...go!" she made a move to elbow him which worked and he stepped away from her releasing her.

Sakura jumped away from them and backed up into a tree so no-one could sneak up on her, she looked at the men in front of her. There was fish face junior or as Naruto called him shark-bait she had no idea why but it fit him with those sharp teeth and that pale blue almost white hair and those aqua blue eyes. He had the sword that once belonged to Zabuza Momochi strapped to his back, the only thing that didn't work for her was the purple shirt under the Akatsuki cloak...who in their right mind wears a purple shirt when they are a male?

The big dude that was the key to the curse mark or so Sakura was told was there and she had to raise an eyebrow at the two birds that were perched on the orange haired giants shoulder.

And last but not least was the man that she had hoped she would never see again after that time six years ago, he stood there in all his Uchiha glory with a slight smirk on his beautiful face, his hair had grown since she had seen him. His bangs reached to a little under his jaw line and the rest was shoulder length and still stuck out at the back _"I wonder how he keeps it that way...Sakura pay attention to the men in front of you'_ she scolded herself on her runaway thoughts.

His Akatsuki cloak was closed but Sakura knew that underneath that cloak was a well built well toned body...she should know she felt it...'_get your mind out of the gutter girl'_

Oh and there was Kisame in all his smirking fish face glory.

Sakura was very intimidated by the men that were standing in front of her but all the years of ANBU training had helped her to conceal her emotions, sometimes they would come out but she mostly had a control over them. At this moment in time her body had begun to shake slightly and she couldn't stop it.

"I'll ask again Sakura" a chill ran through her body as he said her name "What are you doing?" Sasuke said as he took a step closer to her. "Stay away from me" she threatened causing Sasuke's smirk to widen "What if I don't?" he asked and in the next instant her was within an inch of her.

"Go Sasuke, show her who's boss!" Suigetsu yelled and Kisame joined in agreeing with him.

Sasuke never took his eyes off Sakura as he ordered them away, "Aw but Sasuke.." a glare from Sasuke shut Suigetsu up "I said...leave" Suigetsu mumbled a complaint before leaving dragging Juugo away with him, Kisame on the other hand said out loud "Pushy Uchiha brats...just like Itachi"

Sasuke had to smirk at that, before he turned his eyes back to Sakura "I won't ask you again...Sakura" he said in a low menacing voice. She could feel his breath on her face causing her to shiver and from the look on his face he felt it as well. Sakura hesitantly placed her hands on his chest and felt the muscles under them ripple and flex.

She stilled for a moment before she forcefully pushed him away from her which he surprisingly let her. "It's none of your business...I should kill you where you stand" she said as she moved away from him and glared at him.

Again with the smirk she was beginning to hate that smirk "You could...try" he said with a hint of amusement "But you will only succeed in losing your own life" he stepped away from her and started to make his way to where the other's had just left, before turning around to look at the fuming girl.

"Go home Sakura...the Higurashi clan has been brought down already" he turned away from the now stunned pinkette and continued walking.

It was a moment before Sakura could speak "H..how did you know my mission?" Sasuke stopped walking "I...just go home before you get into trouble"

'_I have been watching out for you ever since I left the village'_ was what he wanted to say to the only girl that ever cared for him and not his looks or his clan, but she thought of him as a monster and no matter how much it hurt him, that's the way it had to be...for now.

He started to walk away again, but Sakura wasn't going to let him leave like that "Sas..!" she was cut off when her chest exploded in pain as an arm wrapped around her shoulders and a voice whispered "Now nothing will stop my plans...thank you for your sacrifice...Konoha's cherry blossom" into her ear before the person disappeared.

Sasuke heard her start to call his name and then she was cut off, he wasn't going to turn around but the scream had him at her side as she fell into his arms. Her chest was gushing blood and a sword with a cherry blossom on it was sticking out of her back. "Sa...Sakura" he didn't know what to do "Kisame! Juugo! SUIGESTU!" he yelled but no-one came to him.

"S...Sas..uke"

He looked down at the whisper of his name to see the girl looking at him with half lidded eyes as blood trickled from her mouth, "Pl...please watch..." she had to stop to cough and a whimper left her mouth from the action, Sasuke was beginning to panic "Sakura stop you're going to be okay.." he said as he attempted to pick her up but stopped when she cried out in pain.

"Please Sa...Sasuke" she grabbed his hand and he looked at her with moist eyes as hers filled with tears and overflowed "Look...out f...for Nar..uto" Sasuke shook his head "No...you will be there for him he doesn't ne..." she cut him off "Sasuke...I'm dying...and he n..needs you as...well" she placed her hand to his cheek and he leaned into it "I..I love you" she said her voice cracking as she said it.

Sasuke closed his eyes "I love you too" he whispered and opened his eyes to look at the smiling girl "I always have, ever since I met you" a tear escaped his eye and fell down to the woman in his arms and it mingled with her own.

Sasuke slowly and carefully pulled her closer to him "Th..the pain is leaving...me" she said as she grabbed his hand and placed it on the hilt of the sword, he knew what she wanted him to do so with a deep breath he pulled the sword out of her as quickly as he could and threw it as far from them as it would go.

Sakura groaned as the sword was pulled from her but she couldn't feel the pain anymore, all she could feel was the coldness of everywhere other then where Sasuke was touching her, but that too was leaving her.

Sasuke put his head down and brought his lips to her forehead and kissed her squeezing his eyes shut, he stayed that way for a moment before he pulled away and looked into her paling face "I'm so sorry for everything I've caused and done to you"

She shushed him "I forgive...you" she whispered, Sasuke looked at her for a moment longer, before he brought his head down but this time to her lips and and kissed her. It was the most passion felt kiss either of them had ever felt, before they parted.

Sakura could feel her life being taken away from her and she couldn't do anything to stop it as he breathes became shallower and her vision began to go black. As she took her last breath the light became so black tha she couldn't see a thing, and the next instant a blinding white light washed over her and she felt her body being lifted.

Sasuke sat there and cradled the woman as her breathes became shallow and he knew that she was losing the battle for her life. He couldn't help but let the tears fall as he thought of losing another person that was precious to him and he couldn't help them, just like he couldn't save his clan or his brother who was forced into what he did to the clan.

"I'm sorry"

"I'm sorry" she heard as her body was lifted up and she was now standing, the light lost it's intensity and she was able to make out the figure of Sasuke hunched over something as her vision became clearer. She stepped towards him and found that the thing he was hunched over was her body. Sakura gasped at the sight, and she looked to her hands to find them glowing and not so pale anymore "What's going on?"

"You have passed into the next life" came a sweet child like voice from behind her and Sakura whirled around to find the little girl standing there that she couldn't save.

"What...how...you died"

The little girl laughed a melodic tune "I noticed that...and so have you" Sakura looked at her with wide eyes before the memory of the searing pain and the coldness came back and it became clear to her that what she was now was her spirit.

The little girl held out her hand "Come...mummy and daddy want to thank you for all you did for me"

Sakura looked at the girl then turned her head and looked at Sasuke, her heart breaking at the man crying over her body "I...I can't" she said looking back at the little girl who gave her a warm smile.

"Don't worry, you never actually leave the ones you care for...you live in their hearts and will always be with them...and besides think of all the fun tricks you can play on him"

Sakura had to laugh at the little girl, she reminded her of Naruto.

"Okay but I need to do something first" the girl nodded her head and Sakura turned around and walked back over to Sasuke and placed a hand on his cheek "I will always be with you" she said placing her other hand on his chest where his heart was "In here" she stayed like that for a moment longer before she kissed him on the lips and stood up. She walked back over to the little girl and they began walking into the light.

"We're going to have so much fun together"

"You remind me of a blonde knucklehead"

"Ooh can we go see him what's his name?" was the last thing that was heard as the pair walked into the light and disappeared.

Sasuke sat there for what felt like hours with the dead girl in his arms and crying over her when he felt something warm touch his cheek, he looked up but there was no-one there "I will always be with you" was heard in a whisper "Sakura?" he called but no answer. Then his heart felt warmth in it and that same whisper was heard "In here" and he knew it was Sakura reaching out to him and telling him she was alright and safe. He was about to look down at the girl again when his lips tingled as if someone had just kissed him and he couldn't help but close his eyes and relish in the feeling before it disappeared.

After a few more moments the feeling went and he knew she was gone but also knew she would always be in his heart, he picked her body up and began heading in the direction of their village...then he would find the bastard that did this to her and make them pay.

**So how did I do? I may turn it into a continuing story after our first story is complete but I don't know yet, what do you think or should I just leave it the way it is. I hope the fight scene was okay cos I don't have the fight bug...yet lol.**

**Anyhow I hope you liked it.**


End file.
